Exhale
by da-mouse
Summary: Vignettes - [Chapter 2] - Sometimes it's wrong...-HaoxJeanne- [Chapter 3] - For every win...-one sided HaoxAnna, mild YohxAnna-
1. Chapter 1: Everyone Falls

**Disclaimer**: To cut the long story short: Own nothing, don't sue. Yeah. 

**Notes + warnings: **  
-Series of vignettes/moments between Shaman King characters, Yoh/Anna being the main topic of writing.  
-Inspired by **_Whitney Houston's 'Exhale (Shoop Shoop)'_**, will see lyrics of this song (in bold italics) throughout.   
-Semi-inspired by **_Lacewood's 'Glimpse'_**.  
-Annoyingly short, annoyingly pointless.  
-OOC, probably. All right, okay, so it was definitely.   
  


Exhale  
written by: da*mouse  
  


**_Everyone falls_**

**_In love some time  
  
  
_**

They sat quietly, side by side, in the bedroom. The celebrations had long ago ceased, and now, it was just them. Them and them alone. 

He sneaked a quick look at her. She sat passively, one hand resting on her lap, and the other toying with the end of the sleeve of her _kimono_. In a sudden movement, she stood up, and walked to mirror. He watched rather curiously as she looked at her own reflection for a few long moments. Then she removed the hair comb that was holding her hair up in a traditional bun, and her blonde hair tumbled down over her shoulders. 

She turned to face him, her hair loose and wavy. And gave him a small smile. 

He felt himself catching his breath, she looked stunning, and adding to her beauty was the rare smile. 

"You're beautiful…" the words escaped him, almost involuntarily. 

She raised an eyebrow at him, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she turned back to the mirror and started wiping off the powder in her face. 

Standing up, he sauntered over to the mirror, where she was standing. Carefully, he circled her waist with his arms, feeling the warmth of her back against him. 

"…I love you…"

She turned to him then. And asked one single question. 

"Since when?"  
  
  


**_Everyone falls_**

**_In love some time_**__

  
He closed his eyes, trying to remember. Then he smiled.

"I've forgotten. Because I can't remember a moment that I don't love you." 

Her eyes softened, and she touched her husband's face lightly. He caught her hand, and kissed her fingertips. 

_I, who thought myself as cold, and unable to love…but…_

He drew her close to him, and placing his hands on either side of her face, he kissed her, lovingly. 

_I fell in love…with him…_

_Because…_

  
**_Everyone falls_**

**_In love some time  
  
  
_**

It didn't matter, the whens, hows, or whys. All that mattered was they loved each other, truly and deeply. 

  
-Finis-  
  


da*mouse ®  
posted 15th September 2003  
9.58 a.m.

Haha, told you people that it was annoyingly short, but I supposed that's really the point of these little moments. I got inspired, as said above. And I _never_ planned for it to be long, so…

In case anyone didn't get it, it's Yoh and Anna. And it's the night of their wedding. Yeah, I _tried_ to imply *something* but *wails* everything I put down just seemed stupid…so…no implication or anything…*makes a note to take lessons from Kira-chan and Apple-chan*

Urm…coming up in the next vignette…will be the next line to this song. Ha! But yeah, that's what I planned on, writing a short little scene for every line of this song. I just love it. 

If anyone here is from Australia and watched Australian Idol, all I can say is that justice has been prevailed. Go Bek! ^_^

Till next one, ja. Remember to review/comment/flame/anything. 

P.S. For those awaiting updates to my two chaptered stories…('-_-)…**_Together, But Not Forever_** should be up fairly soon, but I am so stuck for the other one. Thousand apologies. Sorry, sorry, sorry. *mouse bows in apology*


	2. Chapter 2: Sometimes

**Disclaimer**: To cut the long story short: Own nothing, don't sue. Yeah. 

Special mention to **Memphis Lupine**, who made the Hao/Jeanne pairing so endearing to me. 

**Warnings: **What else but OOC-ness?   
  


Exhale  
written by: da*mouse  
  


**_Sometimes it's wrong_**

**_And sometimes it's right  
  
  
_**

It was a dark night, where the moonlight was shimmering faintly, where clouds hid the moon, a night where all was quiet, even the crickets and frogs. It was only such nights when they could meet. 

She, the Iron Maiden, and he, the Destroyer. 

She stood in front of him, arms crossed. He stood behind her, seemingly without a care in the world. 

Silence settled between them, until she spoke. 

"We should stop this."

He just shrugged. She turned to him, her ruby eyes serious. 

"We shouldn't see each other anymore."

He laughed, amused. "You say this every time we meet." 

  
  
**_Sometimes it's wrong  
  
  
_**

"I mean it this time."

He lifted his gloved hand, and his fingers trailed a path down her face. "I've heard this before, too." 

She bit her bottom lip. "It's wrong…" she whispered, almost desperately.

He pulled her to him, and planted a kiss on her forehead, and then on her lips. "Then tell me what's right." he murmured. 

  
  
**_Sometimes it's right_**

  
  
She almost trembled in his arms, from the touch of his lips, and from being so close to him.

_I don't know what's right…_

She broke away from his embrace. "I can't." 

He just smiled. "You know you can."  

"Stop it!" she hissed. Then, in a softer tone, she asked. "You won't stop. Would you?"

His eyes narrowed. "No." 

She turned away from him. "I knew you couldn't." 

"Come a time." He spoke. "That you have to kill me. Could you do it? Would you do it?" 

She swiveled around, expecting to see the usual light of mockery in his eyes. But it wasn't there. "I…" she stopped. The word was on the tip of her tongue. She stopped, but her eyes betrayed her. 

He knew what her answer was. His lips twisted into a cynical smile. "Let it be known to you, then, that if, when, the situation is reversed, my answer is your answer."

"Then we understood each other." Her voice was steady, showing none of her feelings. 

"That we do." His tone bordered on the edge of sarcasm.  
  


  
**_Sometimes it's wrong_**

**_And sometimes it's right  
  
_** 

"I'm supposed to kill you."

He chuckled, then. "Then how ironic is it, that you love me."

"I don't love someone that is incapable of loving." She shot back at him. "The next time we meet…I will show no mercy. And I will expect none from you either." She continued, her voice taking a harsh edge. 

"I'll see you here tomorrow." He ignored her words, although they struck a chord in him. But he would never admit it.  

"You won't." she said quietly, and turned her back on him. 

Her words echoed in his mind as she walked away, and he knew she really meant it this time around. 

His fingers clenched into a fist, as he focused on her retreating figure, the curtain of silvery-blue that fell against her back. 

If Asakura Hao was incapable of loving, then what explained the pain he felt as Iron Maiden Jeanne walked away from him? 

  
  
**_Sometimes it's wrong_**

**_And sometimes it's right_**

**_  
  
_**Sometimes he, and she, just didn't know what was wrong, or right. 

Not anymore. 

  
  
-Finis-  
  


da*mouse ®  
posted 13th October 2003  
4.40 a.m.

Urm. Weird. Yeah. Originally planned for Jun/Bailong or Jeanne/Lyserg for this section, but ended up Jeanne/Hao instead. Currently having a liking for Jeanne/Hao, don't know why. 

Feel free to review/comment/flame/whatever. In fact, I'll be most happy to receive feedback, so go ahead and tear this apart, whatever, ha. 


	3. Chapter 3: For Every Win

**Disclaimer**: To cut the long story short: Own nothing, don't sue. Yeah. 

For **Apple-chan**, doubt that Hao angst will cheer you up, but hopefully Yoh/Anna will. :) 

**Note: ** More Hao angst, but I swear I didn't do it on purpose…  
  


Exhale  
written by: da*mouse  
  


**_For every win_**

**_Someone must fail  
  
_**

  
He watched the two of them as they argued about a certain training regime. 

"Anna…give me a break! There's only so much a guy could do…"

"And I expect more." A sharp voice cut into the complaining. "You need to train."

"I'm already the Shaman King…"

"You _still_ need to train." Came the cool retort. She then threw him, her soon-to-be brother-in-law, a disdainful look. "I wouldn't put it past _him_ to try anything."

Eyes turned towards him, and broad shoulders shrugged. "He's my twin." He said simply.

"He's Asakura Hao." She said, irritated at her fiancé's confidence towards his brother, confidence, Hao knew, that she lacked.  

Hao chuckled, and stretched languorously. "Don't worry, _Otouto. _I won't try anything."

"I know you wouldn't." The younger twin smiled cheerfully as his fiancée snorted derisively, crossing her arms across her chest. 

_Not that I can't, I won't._

He leaned against the wall, as Anna eventually won the argument, with Yoh dropping his head in defeat, and taking off in his runs, rounding off the corner.

He saw…in the mask of triumph on Anna's face, a ghost of a smile glimmered, and her eyes were soft, as she looked at Yoh. 

She would never look at him like that, he thought with a pang. Those eyes, that look, and the reserved smile, they were all for Yoh. 

As much as he yearned and hoped, and wanted, he would never have them. Have her. 

For she was Yoh's.  

"What are you looking at?" She said testily, turning to him. 

With him, it was always snappish tones and contemptuous glances. "You, my beautiful sister-in-law." He said lazily, showing none of feelings. He was becoming increasingly good at that lately, he found, at hiding his true feelings. 

After all, that was what he must, and should do. 

She huffed loudly, her eyes narrowed into the distance, scanning, searching.

Looking for him, he knew. 

Always him, always Yoh. 

But for now, Yoh was gone, and it was just him, and Anna. 

She was the epitome of loveliness against the fading sunlight, her blonde hair fanning around her face, her black dress setting off the sun, framing her in almost ethereal light. 

The icy, invulnerable itako. The one woman he wanted, and yet knew he could never, ever have. 

He took a step forward, his hand raised, hovering above the curtain of gold that flowed down her back. Gently, his hand lowered, his palm flattening, as he traced the air around her hair.

She would slap him, he knew, and perhaps would never talk to him again, but for that moment, when it was just the two of them, he longed to touch her, touch the untouchable Anna. For once, he longed to have a moment, a memory with her. 

And then he saw a figure jogging towards them in the distance. 

His hand dropped, and he took a step back. 

"Your time…" Anna said thoughtfully, as Yoh approached them. "…is decent."

Yoh grinned, wiping the sweat from his forehead. 

"Get dinner started, won't you?" With that, she swept past the twins, and went into the house. 

"She's something else." Yoh glanced at his fiancée's retreating back with a dopey look on his face. The look of someone in love, Hao reflected. 

_She is. Someone else's. _

_Yours. _

"I know." Hao agreed, not without a touch of bitterness. 

Yoh frowned slightly at his older brother's tone. "_Onii-chan_, is everything all right?" 

"Everything's fine." He forced a careless smile on his face. "You better start dinner." 

_I'll be fine. _

  
**_For every win_**

**_Someone must fail _**

**_  
_**She would never be his.

His feelings would never be reciprocated. 

He loved her, but he loved Yoh, too. 

  
**_For every win_**

**_Someone must fail  
  
  
_**

Silently, he wished them well. 

  
  
-Finis-  
  


da*mouse ®  
posted 13th October 2003  
4.40 a.m.

It seemed like a great idea to fit Yoh/Anna/Hao into these lines of the song, but now I'm not so sure. *frowns* And it's up to you guys to tell me what you really think. :) So go on, review/comment/flame/whatever! 

If you want to know my way of thinking – **For every win** = the Yoh/Anna relationship, the two of them together, with the rest of their lives ahead of them, therefore '**win**' and the next line – **Someone must fail** = like you need to ask…Yoh and Anna together means Hao-sama had no chance, hence '**fail**'. Yeah. 

So hey, wasn't Hao a total ladies' man? One moment he loved Jeanne, and the next, he was targeting Anna. Wow. ^_^  But to clear up any sort of confusion, there is **no relation** between the two chapters: Stand-alones. So last chapter you have angsty Hao with Jeanne and now angsty Hao with Anna. 

Poor Hao. I hope at least for one installment in this _Exhale_ series where he **won't** be angsty, feel like I owe him or something, ha. 

By the way, my target for each and every chapter in this series is below 1000 words, so yeah, it **is** intentionally short. Sorry. :D 

**Kat-girl: **Sorry for the angst in the last chapter. Since each and every story is not related, afraid that I can't give them a happy ending. Perhaps later in other chapters. ^_^ thanks so much for reading and reviewing. 


End file.
